Beckett seeking Group scores at Doncaster

Trainer Ralph Beckett will be represented in both Group contests on the

second day of the

St

Leger Festival at

Doncaster

on Thursday.

The Andover handler will saddle unexposed three-year-old Melrose Abbey in the

Group 2, £90,000 Park Hill Stakes over an extended mile and six furlongs. The

daughter of Selkirk is the least experienced runner in the line-up after only

four starts but is coming in on the back of an impressive 3 1/2-length victory

in a 12-furlong handicap at Newmarket on June 28.

She had been touched off by a head in a 10-furlong Salisbury handicap on May

15, having taken a maiden over the same trip at Chepstow 13 days earlier.

"Melrose Abbey is in good form. We were glad of the rain that came on

Saturday and she shapes like she will get this trip, so I am looking forward to

running her," Beckett said.

"A number of things have persuaded me to run her but, more than anything, I

think she has improved. Her win at Newmarket was everything I hoped it would be

and her work suggests she is worthy of this step up in grade."

A high-class field for the Park Hill includes last season's British Champions

Fillies and Mares Stakes winner Seal of Approval, multiple Group 1 runner-up

Venus de Milo, and the improving Arabian Comet.

Beckett is hoping Evita Peron can bounce back to her best in the Group 3,

£60,000 Sceptre Stakes over seven furlongs. The three-year-old was last seen out

when sixth to Bawina in the Prix de Lieurey over a mile on heavy ground at

Deauville on August 15.

That came on the back of an impressive 2 3/4-length success in the Eternal

Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket on June 28.

"Evita Peron is also in good shape. She came out of Deauville better than I

could have hoped given the hard race she had on horrible ground," Beckett said.

"It's possible that a mile might stretch her because she travels very well.

The Sceptre looks the obvious race for her and she too will appreciate a bit of

juice. I think she will run well."

Evita Peron's rivals are headlined by J Wonder, who recorded a neck victory

over Muteela in the Oak Tree Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, eye-catching York

handicap scorer Bragging, plus Frankel's half-sister and dual stakes winner

Joyeuse.

A high-class eight-race program also features the £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes over

an extended six furlongs. A maximum field of 22 is set to go to post including

Aidan O'Brien's highly-regarded War Front colt The Great War, Solario Stakes

third Lexington Times, who is one of three runners for Richard Hannon Jr., and

the hat-trick seeking Mattmu.

There was 14 millimeters of rain at Doncaster on Saturday. It has been dry

since and no further rain is forecast this week.

"The first two furlongs on the straight are from the mile to the six-furlong

marker are now good ground," Doncaster's Clerk of the Course, Roderick Duncan,

explained. "The weather has been a bit warmer than we were expecting today and

the whole course has dried out a bit, although it is still good to soft overall.

It is currently warm and sunny at Doncaster.

"There is no further rain forecast this week, with daytime temperatures in

the high teens (Celsius) expected."

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